


gently

by dracoommalfoy



Series: song fics [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Based on a song, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:15:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24917431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoommalfoy/pseuds/dracoommalfoy
Summary: speak to me gentlyyour jar of hearts is getting heavyand i’m a long way from acceptingwhy we can’t have a happy ending
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: song fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852027
Kudos: 14





	gently

**Author's Note:**

> dedicated to tamsin :)  
> i hope this made u ship drarry even a lil

It's the seventh day after Draco ended things with Harry, and Harry thinks that he might turn his wand around and cast _Incendio_ on himself. Because, because _why_. He doesn't understand _why_ and the fact that he doesn't know and doesn't understand makes him want to rip his hair out.

"Harry, your toast is burning."

Letting go of the hair that he very much had been pulling at, his head whips to Hermione, who has a finger pointing to the plate in front of Harry. He looks at it, and sure enough, the bread is blackened. Hermione raises an eyebrow because she knows that Harry's able to do wandless magic when he's feeling very strongly about something and right now he's feeling very strongly that he wants to slap Draco Malfoy.

Ron, awfully oblivious and awfully hungry Ron, glances up, a forkful of eggs halfway to his mouth, and shoots an eyebrow up in question at Harry's food. The raven haired boy rolls his eyes and gets up, sliding his plate away from him.

"Where- where are you going?" Hermione asks, but Harry's green eyes are scanning the Great Hall.

They land on the Slytherin table. They land on the place where Draco Malfoy has sat for the past five and a half years. They land there and see that it's empty. Harry scowls and pulls out the all-too familiar parchment from his bag.

Hermione follows his gaze to the Slytherin table. "Oh, honestly, Harry! You're not still on about that silly Death Eater idea, are you?"

He ignores her. Because Hermione- well. She knows a lot, that girl. She can tell you what the ten most effective fungus are for potion-making and who took place in the Salem Witch Trials. But. She could not tell you that Harry had been in a relationship with Draco Malfoy since the Yule Ball back in fourth year. She could not tell you that right after their two year anniversary, Draco had ended things.

She could not tell you that Draco had grown so distant that he was too far away to hear the sounds of Harry's heart breaking.

So, leaving the Great Hall and muttering the infamous phrase, " _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,_ ", Harry's eyes dart across the pages until they land on the name he is so desperately seeking.

And he finds it. Of course he finds it. His eyes are too trained _not_ to find it.

And then he's walking. The parchment is folded and crumpled in Harry's hand and his shoes are echoing on the stone and his heart is hammering and his hands are shaking because what- _what_ \- is Draco doing in the Room of Requirement.

Draco, who caught Harry alone outside during the Yule Ball and commented on his awful dancing. Draco, who then, with a smug smile, taught Harry how to properly dance out there in the courtyard on that beautiful December night.

Draco, who had been called to McGonagall's office and was told that he had to go into the Black Lake for the second task because he meant most to Harry, but he could _never_ do that, and he told the Head of Gryffindor that with a heavy heart. Because then people would _know_. Because then McGonagall knew, and with sad eyes, she dismissed Draco and asked him to send in Ronald Weasley.

Draco, who visited Harry in the hospital wing at an ungodly hour, but Harry was awake still because he knew his boyfriend would be visiting him. Draco, who stared at Harry for a moment, still, before climbing into the hospital bed next to him and letting his tears escape because when Harry returned from the maze, still and hurt and tear-tracked, Draco's heart had stopped, because for one (awful terrible sickening) moment he had thought _Harry_ was dead, not Diggory.

Draco, who was so livid with Umbridge for hurting Harry that he threatened to hurt her, only to be told off be Harry himself. And he listened. Because he would never say no to Harry.

Draco, who joined the Inquisitorial Squad because his father forced him to, but during dark, moon-lit hours, stayed up in empty classrooms with Harry, learning how to properly cast _Expelliarmus_ and which memories would cause the best Patronus.

Draco, who used only memories of Harry and in turn produced a stag Patronus that matched Harry's perfect. That night was full of kisses and smiles.

Draco, who began to grow distant from Harry at the beginning of their sixth year, which clearly had an effect on both of them. It was shown in dark circles under eyes and permanent frowns on lips.

So then Harry wonders, based on the times Hermione caught him staring at Draco at the Slytherin table and then smiled to herself, if she actually _did_ know. He supposed she had to. She was always too observant for her own good.

As he walks, Harry's eyes flick up to a circular, black, wired birdcage that hung from the hall's ceiling and frowns, noticing that there's only one bird in it. Now, Harry may have dropped Care of Magical Creatures two years ago, but even he knew that a singular bird that small didn't need a cage that large.

Though, he supposed he could relate to it. Confined in a space large enough to fly around and large enough to, if only for a moment, believe that you're free. But, when all is said and done, you are are still in a cage. You are still trapped. You are still not free.

Harry wonders if Draco feels trapped. If Draco _knows_ he isn't free and will never be free as long as he is under his father's influence.

He finds the wall he's looking for and paces in front of it three times.

_I need to see Draco Malfoy. I need to see Draco Malfoy. I need to see Draco Malfoy._

The door appears.

As quiet as he can possibly be, Harry pushes open the door and slips inside, closing it before anyone can catch him. When he faces the room, it's the standard Room of Requirement. Piles of, well, _shite_ , stacked to the ceiling. Utter nonsense that no one needs. Or, that everyone needs. 

And there, at the front of the room, what Harry needs. 

Draco.

He hadn't noticed Harry's entrance, so Harry quickly ducked behind a pile (well, more like tower) of books and watched Draco from behind. He was standing in front of a dark and sophisticated cabinet. Holding his want to the sealed doors, Draco muttered words Harry couldn't hear, and then opened the doors. He bent down and placed a bird inside.

A bird that looked a lot like the one Harry passed in the cage on the way here.

Closing the doors, Draco muttered a few more words and pulled his wand away. A few seconds passed before Draco opened the doors once more, bent down, and took the bird out.

Harry noticed instantly the the bird was shock-still in Draco's hand. Even thought he was unsure of what exactly happened, he knew that the bird was dead. And that by Draco's shaking hands and pale face, this wasn't a good thing.

Draco put the bird down and closed the doors, leaning his head on them. Then, much to Harry's surprise, he started to cry.

Harry had seen Draco sad before. He'd seen him upset. But never, not once, did Draco let anything affect him to the point of tears. So, when Harry saw Draco's red eyes and tear-stained cheeks and trembling lip, he didn't hesitate before walking forward and revealing himself.

"Draco." The blond boy jumps and turns to face Harry, his quiet sobs shaking his body.

"H-Harry!" He exclaimed, hastily wiping at his tears. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Risking everything, Harry takes a step closer to Draco. "Don't wipe away your tears," Harry shakes his head. "I know we're not together and I know I can't do anything about the reason you're crying, but... just let me be there for you."

Biting his lip, Draco shook his head. "No, Harry," he whispered. "Just- just go."

But, the stubborn prick that he is, Harry just scowled and stayed put. "No, Draco! Why do you keep shutting me out? I've got this heavy feeling I've been carrying around since you broke up with me and I think I at least deserve to know _why_."

It was Draco's turn to glare. "Why? You want to know why? Fine! Because even though the world around us is going to war, Harry, you still act as though we're the same innocent fourteen year olds we were when we fell in love."

"I know we aren't those kids, Draco. But that doesn't mean I don't love you!"

More tears were spilling down Draco's face. "Harry, I love you too, but we can't be together. It's for your safety and for mine. And things will start to be easier when you just accept that." He whispered.

Harry shook his head. "I'll never accept that. Being without you will never be easier."

Draco leaned forward and met Harry, sharing one last gentle kiss that was full of sorrow because they both knew it'd be the last. For a while at least. 

"Then," Draco whispered gently, taking a step away. "I'm sorry."

And with that, he turned and walked away, his back to Harry.

Harry, who had never felt anything like the way Draco held him while he taught him how to dance before.

Harry, who caught Draco's eye after finishing the second task and, suddenly, Hermione's kiss and Ron's hug didn't mean a single thing because Draco was positively _beaming_ down at him from the stands and that's all that mattered.

Harry, who had lay in his hospital bed, giving Fred and George his Triwizard winnings and assured Ron and Hermione many times that he was alright and recounted the story to Dumbledore, but could only think about Draco and was relieved out of his mind when the boy arrived, holding him tightly.

Harry, who kissed Draco firmly and told him that if Draco tried to tell a teacher about the _I must not tell lies_ on Harry's hand, he wouldn't hesitate to break up with him because he did _not_ want Draco to worry about him.

Harry, who watched Draco with eyes full of pride and fondness as Draco cast his first Patronus, then shock when he saw that it was a stag. They had both froze until Harry picked Draco up and spun him around, laughing with delight. Draco had blushed, embarrassed, but never happier.

Harry, who saw Draco grow thinner and paler and more tired and sadder at the start of sixth year. Harry, who tried to help, but was pushed away. Harry, who watched the boy he loved go down the road he tried to prevent him from following.

Harry, who was heartbroken.


End file.
